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Citizens CN will finally receive a citizen service number in 2025

Example Drivers Licence - Photo Rijksoverheid

KRALENDIJK – More than 12 years after the creation of the Caribbean Netherlands, consisting of the three special municipalities of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, residents finally receive a so-called citizen service number, or Burgerservicenummer (BSN) in Dutch.

BSN is a personal number for contact with the Dutch government, used for care or taxes, among other things. Residents of the Netherlands receive the BSN if they are included in the Municipal Personal Records Database (BRP) at the Civil Registry. The number is stated on the passport, driver’s license and identity card of a Dutch Citizen in The Netherlands.

So far, it was not yet possible for the residents of the three special municipalities to obtain a BSN, which can sometimes cause difficulties, especially when applying for digital services in the Netherlands.

Amendment process

According to State Secretary Alexandra van Huffelen, this inequality between the Caribbean Netherlands and the European Netherlands will cease to exist in 2025. “The BSN will be introduced for citizens in the Caribbean Netherlands no later than 2025, as part of the program “Strengthening the digital society in the Caribbean Netherlands”. I am currently preparing the required legislative amendment process and the technical implementation for this. I will inform your House in more detail soon,” writes van Huffelen in a letter to Dutch Parliament. 

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